Lieutenant Harry Noel Edmonds, DSC

Lieutenant Harry Noel Edmonds, DSC, was born on 25 December 1913 in Georgetown, Guyana, the son of Dr. Frank Rowe Edmonds and Kathleen Edmonds. He entered the Royal Navy as a cadet in January 1932, beginning a distinguished career marked by dedication and courage.

Promoted to Midshipman on 1 January 1933, he served aboard the battleship HMS Royal Oak and later the cruiser HMS Devonshire. Advancing steadily, he became Acting Sub-Lieutenant in May 1935 and, following further training at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 April 1936.

Edmonds soon volunteered for submarine service, undertaking training at HMS Dolphin in August 1936. Over the following years, he served in several vessels, including HMS Widnes, HMS Parthian, and HMS H28. At the outbreak of the Second World War, he was appointed First Lieutenant of HMS Sunfish.

In May 1940, Lieutenant Edmonds was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for “daring and resource in the conduct of successful hazardous operations against the enemy,” reflecting his exceptional bravery under dangerous conditions.

After completing his Commanding Officer’s Qualifying Course, he took command of HMS L27 in January 1941, later transferring to HMS P36 in August of that year. On 31 March 1942, while alongside in Malta, P36 was destroyed during an Italian air raid.

On 8 May 1942, Lieutenant Edmonds was travelling as a passenger aboard HMS Olympus, en route to the United Kingdom. Shortly after departing Malta, the submarine struck a mine and sank. He was among those lost.

Lieutenant Edmonds was the husband of Phyllis Georgina Edmonds. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Panel 62, Column 1.

We Will Remember Them